The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

STEVEN Gardiner retained his men’s 400 metres national title in one of the most competitive finals ran at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Championships in quite a while.

Gardiner, 20, already booked for the 2016 Olympic Games, lowered his season’s best from 44.62 seconds done in Atlanta, Georgia on June 4, to 44.46 in blowing away the field as he came off the final curve on Saturday night for another qualifying time for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, pulling Alonzo Russell through with him in his second place finish in 45.25.

The women’s quarter-mile race at the new Thomas A Robinson National Stadium was a run-away for Shaunae Miller, who after slowing down and checking on her rivals on the home stretch, eased across the line comfortably in 52.17 to also dip under the 52.20.

And in one of the greatest individual performances in the sprints, Tynia Gaither, fresh off her double appearance at the NCAA Championships, made it look so easy as she posted a rare women’s sweep of the 100 and 200 metres.

Also on the track over the two days of competition, Shavez Hart and Ian Kerr split the men’s sprint titles, while Jeffery Gibson stayed unbeaten in the men’s 400m hurdles.

Gardiner, the slender 6-foot-2 gentle giant, who reminds you so much of former record holder and national champion Avard Moncur, had to run hard out of lane two after he posted the seventh fastest time in slowing down coming off the curve in winning his preliminary heat the night before.

“It was pretty good. It was a nice race. It was well executed like my coach told me,” said Gardiner, who is coached by George Cleare, the designated but yet to be ratified head coach for the Olympic team. “I came out with the victory. I’m very happy with the performance.

“Lane two was a very tough lane, but I knew I had to go for it.”

Gardiner, who got started in athletics under coach Anthony Williams in Moore’s Island, did as he made up the stagger on the field through the first 200m as he came off the final curve, he was in complete control of the race and he continued to apply the pressure as he brought it home in his convincing victory.

His performance against a stacked field of former national champions and international competitors, including Russell, who did 45.25 to become the fourth Bahamian to dip under the Olympic qualifier of 45.40 for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, while veteran Chris ’Fireman’ Brown was third in 45.59.

“I feel pretty good. I knew I had it,” said 24-year-old Russell, who is coming off his second round appearance in the 400m at the IAAF World Indoors in Portland, Oregon, in March.

“I finally got it, so I’m very excited. I want to thank God and my coaching staff. I knew coming into the race, I was prepared to do something big. I’m just so happy that I qualified.”

Brown, the veteran of the field at age 37, knew that it was going to be a difficult run, but he gave it his best shot.

“First of all, I want to thank God for keeping me healthy. I think I ran too hard in the back stretch, but I’m satisfied with the way I ran today,” Brown said. “I just got out too hard, didn’t stick to my race plan and I paid for it coming home.

“I just have to work on being consistent and getting back to top form.”

In what was the marquee event of the two-day meet, Stephen ‘Dirty’ Newbold make a dramatic comeback for fourth in 45.80 ahead of Demetrius Pinder, who was back after an injured season last year, for 46.26 for fifth.

Michael Mathieu, the other Olympic qualifier, was sixth in 46.29 and former national record holder and champion Andretti Bain had to settle for seventh in 47.90. Collegian Henry Delauze didn’t finish.

In the women’s race, Miller also made up the stagger early through the first 200m and was unchallenged as she came of the final curve well ahead of the pack. She went into a jog, looking on both sides of her to take the tape in 52.17.

“I just want to thank God that I came out healthy,” she said. “I sort of took my time with the race. I’m happy with it. This was just a training base. I’m happy with the run.”

As a top contender for this gold medal in Rio after she picked up a silver behind American Allyson Felix at the IAAF World Championships last year in Beijing, China, Miller said her training is going very well and she’s looking forward to seeing how she will do at the Olympics.

Lanece Clarke, a training partner of Steven Gardiner, was second in 53.28 with Shanquania Dorsett taking third in 53.97. Veteran Christine Amertil was fourth in 54.00 and Coshan Campbell rounded out the top five in 57.72.

“I poorly executed. I felt ready, but there were a few minor things that I did wrong, but I’m happy that I finished the race healthy,” Clarke pointed out. “I want to thank my parents, my coach and my supporters. I did my best.”

Gaither, who just completed her senior year at the University of Southern California with a fourth in the 100m and fifth in the 200m at the NCAA Championship, has already qualified for the Olympics.

But she assured her trip to Rio by outclassing the field for her double, taking the century crown on Friday in 11.53 over collegian Janae Ambrose, who did 11.72, while Tayla Carter was third in 11.77.Veteran Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, in her final swan song at age 40, came in fifth in 11.81 and Grand Bahamian Nivea Smith, back after a short hiatus, was sixth in 11.85.Gaither, 23, came back on Saturday and pulled of the half-lap race in 23.00 to once again go under the Olympic cut of 23.20. Anthonique Strachan, back from surgery last year, was second in 23.40 and Sheniqua ‘Q’ Ferguson, who is training in Jamaica, was third in 23.54.

Collegian Carmiesha Cox got fourth in 23.61 with Ambrose settling for fifth in 24.10. Jermeka McBridge was sixth in 24.35 and Nivea Smith rounded out the field in seventh in 24.50.

“It was fun. I like the 200m on this track. Those girls out there are nothing to play with. It was great competition, but I knew that I would come out here and get a good run against them” Gaither said. “I tried to get a good start. My 60 in the 200 has always been my strongest point, so I tried to do and then work on technique coming in.

As for posting the double, Gaither said she’s blessed.

“It’s a very great feeling. I’m blessed and I’m healthy and that’s the result of that,” she added about her performances. “I haven’t been able to come home and represent like I wanted too for a long time due to injuries, so just to come here and make the crowd happy is a blessed feeling.”

The men’s century came down to two Olympic qualifiers in Shavez Hart and Adrian Griffith. Hart, in the middle of the field, took the tape in 10.38 with Griffith, on the outside, tumbling across the line in 10.38 for second. American Kevin Snead was third in 10.44.”To be honest, it was a horrible first 50. I had to dig deep and used my feet,” said Hart, as he picked up his third consecutive title. “This season was a real battling season with injuries and stuff, so I’m glad that I came out here healthy.”

Hart said the head wind had a lot to do with the times they posted, but haven’t already qualified for the Olympics, he will take the time and build on the performance as he look ahead to Rio.

Griffith, on the other hand, admitted that there wasn’t anything they could do with the wind condition.

“It wasn’t the best condition to sprint tonight, but I’m just happy that it’s over and we’re on our way to Rio,” he said. “I just wanted to show them that I’m fit and I will do what I have to do.”

Looking back at the race itself, Griffith said he was a bit sluggish.

“I didn’t see anybody at the beginning, but something just told me I should have pushed, I should have listened to that mind,” he pointed out. “I just tried to over step it and he caught me at the end. That is championship running, so at the end of the day, the best man won.”

Ian Kerr, who just completed his sophomore year at Western Texas College, exploded to the victory in the men’s 200m in 20.72, but he was of the Olympic cut of 20.50. Blake Bartlett came in second in 20.82 and Elroy McBridge did 20.85 for third.

“My performance was pretty good, but it could have been a whole lot better,” Kerr said. “My first 90 metres on the curve was weak, but coming onto the straight, I executed from there and I brought it home strong.”

And in the men’s 400m hurdles, Jeffery Gibson was virtually unchallenged as he picked up his victory in 50.24, well ahead of his nearest rival, Andre Colebrooke, who did 51.44 for second. Desmond Major was third in 54.81. Although he has already done the Olympic cut of 49.50, Gibson said he still have some work to get back to that level.

“I felt really good. I felt strong and aggressive going into the back stretch,” Gibson said. “The first 200 of the race, I’ve been having a lot of problems with that, so just looking at how I ran today, I could see where I’m improving and getting to where I want to be.”

Gibson, the 2015 IAAF World Championship bronze medalist, said he once he can correct his mistakes, he should be in a better position to pursuit another appearance on the podium in his Olympic debut.